Easter and Xmas-true meaning taken over by bunnies and chocolate

[nancie]

What do people think when Chrstian festivals are taken over by commercialism and money making fads. Why is Easter portrayed as being all about bunnies and chocolate,. every shop makes a big buck out of selling chocolate for their own profits with no mention of the true meaning of easter. Many kids do not realise that easter is actually a christain celebration that Jesus rose from the dead, meaning that through him there is everlasting life, yet society is bombarded with yellow bunnies with bows and chocolate. I understand the meaning of the egg (new life) but it is never portrayed that way.

At christmas it is worse. We get santa Claus and Father Christmas. Children have no idea that it is christian or a celebration of Jesus's birth. Father Christmas is actually a saint called St Nicholas who went around a poor town in Greece giving out presents, food and general support to children and families. But mention the fact that he was a chrstian saint and you get the politically correct brigade telling you off for mentioning the word Christmas, in case it offends other faiths, without even consulting the other faiths to see if it offends them. (Ive never heard anyone say it does, in fact they join in with Christmas) Its alright to say Diwali! or Ramadam etc..

What do people think?

[CLOWN TICKLE]

I agree with you that it has been hijacked though there is room for both things and I feel the same about Christmas but you can enjoy both, trouble is it gets earlier and earlier, our council have left the decs up to save having to pay to put them up in october, no doubt within a month of fathers day finishing christmas cards will appear and then the joy of halloween

[nancie]

Too right!!

[willspal]

Yes I agree on both points.

I went into a High Street Card shop today and was amazed at the huge amount of Easter Cards for Sale ???? When did we start sending Happy Easter Cards. ???? I mean it was like a huge vast range of them, including packs of 5 and 10. Have to admit to buying a few for my children to send to Nanny and Grandad cause I am a sucker for anything pretty with lambs on. LOL BUT as with everything its all gone OTT in a crude way. Don't know the answer really apart from don't buy it all but for everyone who does not buy there are 10 who do.

[LazyGun]

Ones feelings on this will depend on whether or not you are a christian, I guess. I am an atheist, and I enjoy these times more for the holiday period and festive fun than because of a celebration of some event.

[nancie]

hmmm..very interesting answers.

[fdewind]

Hello Nancie
It's sad to see that this is happening with many of the Christian Holidays.
Personally, just as you, I'd like it better if people saw Easter then just a holiday to celebrate the life if a fictitious egg bearing bunny, rather then what it really is for us Christians, the crucifying of our Lord and Saviour at the cross in Golgotha, some 2000 years ago.

This is what I think on this subject, though:
In the New Testament, the Bible teaches us to go out in all the world and teach those that are not saved by His grace. �Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.�
The fact that some people and corporations choose to use this holy day to promote their chocolates and other wares, just reminds me that our commanded job has not yet been �done�. We all have a job to do in spreading the Lord�s good news to all the nations, to each and every individual who needs and wants to hear, and so, every time I see a bunny filled Easter commercial, it just reminds me of that. We must move on in our strife.
Let the negative you see with your eyes, work in your heart as a positive reminder, of the work ahead...

Fred

[nancie]

thankyou fdewind..your answer was amazing. i shall do!!!

[CLOWN TICKLE]

Well said everyone

[Kay]

I agree with you 100%. It seems people over the years have forgotton the true meaning of Easter.The easter egg symbolises the stone that sealed Christ's tomb and was rolled away so why choccie bunnie's? I know they're cute like the easter chicks but to a Christian not symbolic. We all know Xmas is way OTT even window decorations are cartoon characters now! Santa Clause/St Nicholas came from the German Kris Kringle meaning Christ Child who gave out gifts to children at the time we recognise as Xmas Day.

[justforthis]

Have to agree with lazygun. If I am an atheist and therefore do not believe in god, jesus and the rest of the gang. That being the case, what is the difference between jesus, santa or the easter bunny? To a non-believer they are all fictional characters.

No offence intended by the way.

[Kay]

No offence taken jft. Each to their own as I say. May I ask,do you celebrate Christmas and why?? Please dont take offence:-))

[justforthis]

My Family and I do celebrate Christmas. I am 40 now and I grew up in a non religous household. Christmas has never had a religous link for me and nor does it for my children.
I understand where you are going with this but I'm afraid that for many, possibly even the majority, Christmas is not about religion either and it hasn't been for a long time.
However, that doesn't stop us from having the right to celebrate a holiday at that time of the year. Many festivals have lost their original intentions to the point where most folk have no idea of their origins.

What you must appreciate is that I am not religous and therefore as far as I'm concerned, you are celebrating something that never happened and as a result, your celebration of christmas is no different to mine.

This is just my opinion.

[Jennykins]

I do agree with all of you.. I two believe in God and wonder how these wonderful events could have just turned into a money making sceme... And I just thought I would add to this that A study was done about a year ago and most people still believe in God..There is just alot of people that dont know anything about God and dont really care to know.. If you ask them do you believe? they will say .. " well yes, In God.. but I didnt grow up with knowing anything" Or they will say Yes Im sure there is a God, but why should I have to go to a church or read about God?" So there is alot of people out there that are still aware of God.. but just have not been Educated.

Sorry I kind of went somewhere else with this.. lol.. But you guys already said all the good stuff!!! hahah..

[gessoo]

Whether religious or not, surely these holidays should be time for being with our families and friends and recharging our batteries and not for spending, spending, spending.

I loved it when the shops were closed for the whole of the Christmas period and likewise for Easter. It doesn't even feel like a holiday any more and most families are not together any more because one or more of them will be involved (probably not happily) in this big retail fiasco.

[Jennykins]

Thats a good answer gessoo

[Fat Boy]

Errr... Sorry, but both Easter & Xmas are actually Pagan in origin and were celebrated long before the teachings of the bible reached us. The word Easter comes from the Pagan God, Eostre & much of how we celebrate "Christmas" stems directly from the Pagan festival of Yule. If anyone has done the hi-jacking it's religious followers of old.

I'm neither Pagan or Christian but I still celebrate both holidays. I do this, not by worshipping any Gods, but by spending as much time as I can with distant friends & family. The abundance of chocolate & pressies is merely a much welcome addition for all involved!

[nancie]

Well justforthis..and don't take offence, but i would rather you did not celebrate easter and and christmas if you do not believe in the meanings of it. The same way i do not celebrate ramadan or divali, our christian festivals have been hijacked by unbelieving people making a mockery out of my beliefs and it hurts. I now understand why muslims get so upset when people even so much as mention their religion in a negative light. Would any one celebrate a muslim festival in an unbelieving commercial light? i thought not, and i dont want people celebrating christain festivals that way either. Fatboy i am sick and tired of hearing pagan nonsence, yes we are all familiar with the meanings of tradditions not associated with christianity..

[jno]

Fat Boy is right. The bunnies and Christmas trees and festivities in general were around long before Easter and Christmas were, so the people who celebrate them are the ones who know the real meaning of the festivals. It's the Christians who hijacked them for their own purposes. Now commerce has hijacked them again, to sell chocolate and cards. You can ignore these if you wish; I send Christmas cards but haven't given anyone any chocolate.

[gessoo]

I do not think Fat Boy's answer was offensive to Christians. He just posted facts. Yes, as jno confirmed, Christians did hijack these festivals along with their traditions.

[nancie]

i guess so..sorry fatboy, just get a bit carried away! :-)